As the Mid-American Conference Championships draw closer, coaches face an off-the-mat dilemma that requires more finesse than force to solve.
Each week, coaches must decide whether it's better for wrestlers to take it easy or train harder in order to be in peak shape for the league tournament March 5. On one hand, the athletes could get worn out by the workouts, and on the other, they might arrive at the tourney unprepared.
It's a question coach Joel Greenlee and his assistant coaches face each week, and there's no easy answer.
Now it's a matter of
you really have the next month to fine-tune things Greenlee said. It's an art it's a trick between now and then.
So far this season, Greenlee's judgments have been conservative, opting to rest any wrestlers with minor injuries. He has not been afraid to sacrifice dual-meet wins for wrestlers' health.
Don't work them too hard
but gotta work them hard enough
but you have to stay healthy
Greenlee said of the balancing act. You have to do all those things
and hopefully peak at the MAC and the national tournament.
One aspect the coaches don't budge on is conditioning. Injured wrestlers who can't grapple with teammates spend practice on the stationary bike.
And the laps around the wrestling room that the entire team runs after each practice appear to be paying off.
I think we're ahead of where we were last year
Greenlee said. We've got a disciplined group that's starting to do the right things. I can honestly say we've been in better shape than every team we've wrestled.
Ohio will need to expend some energy if they're going to beat Buffalo and American this weekend.
The Bulls are the Bobcats' second MAC opponent of the year, and they're ahead ranked of them in the latest conference poll.
American, ranked 10th in the nation by Intermatwrestle.com, has quality wrestlers at several weights.
The Eagles have wrestlers ranked at 125 pounds (20th), 141 (13th), 149 (11th), 197 (20th) and heavyweight (sixth). American's 157-pounder is first in the nation.
That's the only way you're going to get anywhere
Greenlee said of wrestling American. We could probably get a schedule where we could beat everybody that we wrestle
but I don't know that that makes you a lot better.
@ThePostSports
